|
 |
| The struggle of new players... |
This week, Xpert Daily considered the struggles a young new player has on joining an official club, and were fortunate enough to secure an interview with Corona sipping Molde supremo Beerfuelledman, taking time away from his busy schedule farming hops to chat to XD about signing kids for Molde.
Having signed six new players in the close season in preparation for Season 39 and Molde's assault on Division 2, Beerfuelledman had a full close season to identify weaknesses in the squad and try to fill them.
OUT had gone 19/5 GK Erland Kongsted
OUT had gone 21/6 GK Pedja Stojakovic
OUT had gone 19/4 GK Henrik Jørgensen
and all for little more than the price of a training session at 140k .Clearly, backup to No 1 Terence Yobe was a position to be established. Molde swooped to lift 20/6 GK Alípio Eusébio for only 92k. With Garry Baxters retirement, there were squad numbers available for new midfielders. With 20/8 Sveinung Rekdal having seemingly cemented his place in the Molde conveyor, who would be then next youth to make the squad?
IN came 18/5 Florentino Favas for 595k
IN came 18/5 Ramiro Sergi for 482k
IN came 17/4 Hoors Scheidt from the YA
IN came 16/3 Artemy Shaposhnikov from the YA.
Who would be the man fit to fill that elusive place in the Molde conveyor? We asked the Corona sipping Molde head honcho BFM to speak to XD.
XD: How have the new arrivals been settling in BFM? It looks like Rubenstein would be proud of the quality of arrivals at least in terms of the amount of outlay?
BFM: "Yeah, to be fair I'd considered the YA for a GK, but we needed to sort the midfield too. The opportunity came up to get Eusébio for a song, and we'd 4 legs of Cup matches to get some gametime into him against weakened opposition so it wasn't too much of a gamble. He had a rough start but we've him on 15 form now and a straight up green arrow so it seems he's starting to settle. I had my doubts at the beginning I have to say, He came with excellent compat and a straight 20/6 so could have a double in him yet - we don't know where he is on his skill band... But, he seemed to be a perma red arrow. Yobe is young enough yet to manage whilst we try another youth if Eusébio doesnt work out".
XD: You went for four, thats FOUR young midfielders BFM? Talk us through that.
BFM "Well, firstly Jeff - look at the outlay. I've 4 players on the 17/4 skill path for less than 250k apiece net. That's not a big outlay. I find that 'You pays your money and you takes your chances' with young midfielders these days - you never know how it will pan out with them. Some seem to carry a positive form trend and some carry a negative form trend. You cant tell from looking at them who will be who".
XD: Surely the two from the YA will fare better BFM, having come with a loyalty to the club red arrow from the off?
BFM: "You'd think that Jeff, but that isn't indicative. Scheidt and Shaposhnikov came from the YA - Scheidt is on 19F/16AF and rising, yet Shaposhnikov only 10AF/F. The heart has little to do with it. The same goes for lack of heart, Favas is struggling on 6F/9AF but Sergi, bought at the same time has gotten to 18F/16AF".
XD: Does compatibility play an issue BFM?
BFM: "Well, there is some evidence to support that if one considers Scheidt has good compat and Shaposhnikov has only fair, but that hypothesis is turned on its head with Favas having good compatibility and the superior Sergi merely fair. Compatibility isn't affecting his development".
XD: So its a 'scattergun' approach BFM? Buy a few and see who works?
BFM: "Absolutely not Jeff, Its down to pure unadulterated manager skill to scout and select those players that are both suitable and fit for a team. When a player fails it is solely down to the inability of the player to settle or try hard enough. Its basic attribution theory really".
So, in conclusion of this weeks article there appears to be no clear empirical evidence for selecting kids for a team; no benefit from the heart and no benefit from compatibility. In fact the apparent hidden form trend seems only to support BFM's approach - buy more for less and see who works out... BFM of course, will laud his skill at the successful players, whilst the Henrik Jørgensen's of X11 queue silently down the jobcentre...
We at XD, are watching patiently...
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|